Hong Kong Special Administrative Region: Annual report 2012

Since the handover of Hong Kong to the People's Republic of China in 1997, the European Union and its Member States have closely followed political and economic developments in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR). In order to fulfil the 1997 commitment to the European Parliament, an annual report is issued on developments in Hong Kong. This is the 15th such report, covering developments in 2012.

In 2012, the principle of ‘one country, two systems’, enshrined in the Sino-British Declaration and the Basic Law of Hong Kong, continued to work well, as the rights and fundamental freedoms of the people of Hong Kong continued to be respected, the rule of law protected and the market economic system and business environment maintained. Bilateral relations between the EU and Hong Kong continued to deepen, marked by a visit to Hong Kong in July by the EU High Representative/Vice President Catherine Ashton, when she met the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong SAR Government, Chun-ying Leung.

The European Union attaches great importance to Hong Kong’s stability, economic prosperity and democratic development. The EU continues to strongly support early and substantial progress towards the goal of universal suffrage, in accordance with the Basic Law of the Hong Kong SAR and the wishes of the people of Hong Kong.